Disclosure and Barring Service – update

On 1 May the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) published its updated detailed guidance: Disclosure and Barring Service: criminal record checks, referrals and complaints and on 17 June the DBS launched its new online Update Service which will make it easier for charities to check whether volunteers have up-to-date CRB checks.

Volunteers can subscribe to the service without charge and the cost for each employee is £13 per year. Each applicant will be given a subscription number which they can use to access their personal online account and to allow any organisations they choose to access their account. If there have been any changes since the volunteer’s last CRB check, it will be flagged on their account. It is hoped that this will reduce the administrative burden for charities as they will no longer need to apply for a new CRB check for volunteers who had recently been checked and were subscribers to the online service.

Two disclosure changes are also being introduced:

(i)a change to how Registered Bodies complete the ‘Position Applied For’ field on the DBS application form; and

(ii)Registered Bodies will no longer receive a copy of the applicant’s DBS Certificate.

The DBS has also published its DBS Update Service: employer guide and its DBS Update Service: applicant guide. The DBS will also be removing certain specified old and minor offences from criminal record certificates issued from 29 May 2013.

IBB’s specialist charity lawyers have a wealth of experience in delivering practical commercial advice to charities and not for profit organisations and those who work with them. Contact our charity law team here, call 01895 207809 or email charities@ibblaw.co.uk.